Eby close to calling byelections in ridings once held by former premier, minister

Photo: The Canadian Press

Premier David Eby and BC NDP candidate Ravi Parmar walk along Goldstream Ave. as they visit shops and talk to locals while out in Langford, B.C., on Thursday, May 25, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Premier David Eby says British Columbia's legislature will have two new members this fall after he calls byelections in vacant ridings once held by former premier John Horgan and cabinet minister Melanie Mark.

Eby says he will announce the dates for byelections in Greater Victoria's Langford-Juan de Fuca riding and Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Vancouver-Mount Pleasant constituency "very shortly."

The premier says he will not set late summer election dates, saying residents of both ridings are in urgent need of representation.

Eby was in Langford-Juan de Fuca Thursday where he spent time visiting local businesses and residents in a campaign-style walkabout with New Democrat candidate Ravi Parmar.

Horgan, who left office earlier this year, had represented Langford-Juan de Fuca since 2005 and became premier in 2017.

Mark, a former advanced education and tourism minister and the first First Nations woman elected to the B.C. legislature in 2016, also left office this year.